Baby It's Cold Outside

Baby it's cold outside, but mama was sweatin' today! The Clinique T-Zone Shine Control took a mean beating! I blame it on the adrenaline rush of the holidays. The endorphins are flowing, I'm feeling good and energetic despite the fact the I am 35 weeks pregnant. I was on a shopping high from last night with dreams of buy 1, get 2 free that I thought I could have another great retail experience WITH the kids today. I was feeling optimistic. I packed the diaper bag full of yummy snacks and juices boxes, movies for the car ride, mapped out my plan of attack. Destination: Short Pump Town Center. A 1 hour car ride back and forth, 6 stores...could I do it?

It wasn't too bad. First stop: Dillards where Polo was supposedly 50% off. God Bless the salesman Emmanuel (with a name like that it was divine intervention) who helped me picked out coordinating shirts and ties. I couldn't concentrate because Cazin screamed the whole time. He was so patient and tried to get the kids to smile. I must have set a record for the amount of time I spent in the rest of the stores. If I didn't see what I wanted immediately, or if a sales person wasn't immediately available to help me out, it was gift card or on to the next store. Now I did spend too much time in Limited Too. Not on purpose. Now I know in a blink of an eye Julia will be all grown up and will be wanting merchandise from that store, but I get so overwhelmed with the glitter and the mini adult clothes and the music by that band of brothers with bushy eyebrows that I totally lose focus. I want to ask every mother in the store "What are middle schoolers into these days? Cuz I haven't a clue!"

When I knew I had nothing left to give, it was time for the train ride that I had promised Julia. We took our packages back to the van and headed to get tickets for the train. I thought this will be great--they can play at the little depot, take a ride and we'll be on our way. Well Julia almost got runover by the train because apparently "wait" meant "go" today. And I spent the first part of the train ride using my nursing skills to assess whether or not I had broken Cazin's wrist and maybe elbow from yanking on it too hard while trying to get them through the line when he wanted to go the other direction. Good times. But the crying and whining stopped and there was quiet and peace.

All in all not a bad day. We only walked away with 2 hand slaps (one for sticking a hand in a public toilet, the other for finding a half empty juice box in the play train depot and proceeding to finish it off--care to guess who?), 4-6 stern talking-to's, 1 mommy meltdown in the car, a few full shopping bags, 2 Bribe gifts consisting of a ballerina stocking AND ornament as well a good girl reward My Little Pony happy meal. A full tank of gas at $1.41/gallon. Getting to talk with BOTH Harrell sisters today. A quick visit with daddy at the Pastoral Center. Mandatory quiet time on the ride home where mommy got to listen to God's gift of the iTouch. And a miraculous extra order of fries in the bottom of the McDonald's bag. I wish everyone safe travels and a very Merry Christmas!

Before the wrist drama
Content faces after the ride
Lunch time!